January 2017

Today, first graders celebrated making it through the first 100 days of school! They did a variety of activities having to do with the number 100. They built cup towers with 100 cups, made marshmallow and toothpick creations with 100 parts, decorated shirts with 100 pictures, and wore crowns with 100 stickers. They are 100 days smarter!

Our yearly Robotics after-school program started up again this month. Students are learning about the rules and elements of programming electronics using computer software and--you guessed it--robots! Yesterday's lesson focused on the importance of giving robots very specific instructions so that it will operate exactly how it's intended to. The students loved getting to see the robots in action!

Our sixth grade teachers are trying to round up volunteer judges for the upcoming Science Fair on February 3rd! Judges will need to arrive by 9:00 a.m. for a brief training meeting and outline, and the fair will end around 11:00 a.m.. Cherry Creek is located at 484 S 200 E in Springville. Anyone who may be interested in volunteering can RSVP or ask questions to Mrs. Shaffer: heather.shaffer@nebo.edu. About 15 volunteers are needed. Thanks!

This week our kindergarten classes have been learning about all about rocks. On Tuesday, we spent some time being geologists and completing some cool experiments. The kids had fun seeing if rocks float, weighing them on a scale, seeing if they were magnetic, and looking at them with a magnifying glass. They had fun synergizing together and working as a team!!

Mrs. Sumsion's sixth grade class recently joined The Kind Club, which is part of a worldwide organization promoting kindness. Each student received a checklist of kind acts to do for peers, adults, and in the classroom or at recess. It was amazing to see how excited the kids were to start checking off these acts of kindness!

Every year, the teachers at Cherry Creek have the opportunity to nominate one of their fellow faculty members to receive the Crystal Apple Award. This award is given to a teacher who has made a positive difference in the lives of students and to the entire school community. This year, Mr. Cornwall was honored to receive this special award. Some of his colleagues had the opportunity to share their appreciation for Mr. Cornwall's dedication to effective teaching methods and his natural way of inspiring both students and teachers. He has done so much to help shape the direction and culture of Cherry Creek, and he is loved by all! Way to go, Mr. Cornwall!

There's nothing we love to do more at Cherry Creek than to celebrate our students' success! Yesterday, we had another victory lap around the school to cheer on those students who received a Leader of the Month or Principal's Top Croc award. During the victory assembly following, Mr. Duncan talked to the kids about how important it is to read every day. Reading is such a strong indicator of school performance and life-long success. Mr. Duncan told the students about his commitment to read a book for thirty minutes daily this next month. He also reminded them of Cherry Creek's school-wide WIG (wildly important goal) to synergize as a school to move up a total of 1,300 reading levels. Our students are doing such great work, keep it up!

Cherry Creek's annual PTA-sponsored Family Week is next week, January 9th-12th. Each day there is an activity planned at the school, or one you can do at home and share a picture on social media (info below). Here's the line-up:

Monday: Movie Night! Come see The Peanuts Movie at 6:30pm at Cherry Creek. Wear your pajamas and bring blankets and pillows. Snacks will be provided.

Tuesday: Parents & Pastries! Before school from 8:00-8:45, cinnamon rolls and milk will be served. Bring a book to read with your child.

Wednesday: Game Night! Set aside time at home to unplug and play a game together as a family. Share pictures on Facebook or Instagram (see below).

Thursday: Pizza Night! Order carry-out pizza from Papa John's in Springville for 50% off your order, just mention you attend Cherry Creek. Share pictures on Facebook or Instagram (see below).

Please SHARE pictures you have from any of these events on Facebook by tagging @ Cherry Creek Elementary, or on Instagram with the hashtag #cherrycreekfamilyweek. Those who post pictures will be entered into a drawing for fun prizes!